Looking Back at Anthony Davis Impact on the Lakers

Anthony Davis has an undeniable legacy as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.

From the excitement leading up to his trade request from the only team he has known as a professional basketball player, to helping Los Angeles win a title amid a pandemic, A.D. has solidified his status as a lifelong Laker.

Davis was part of a trade Saturday that sent him to the Dallas Mavericks and now makes Luka Doncic a Laker, among other pieces.

BREAKING: The Dallas Mavericks are trading Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick, sources tell ESPN. Three-team deal that includes Utah.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 2, 2025

Davis spent seven seasons in New Orleans and had very little to show for it.

His six All-Star selections and three All-NBA honors earned during his tenure in the Bayou were certainly worth celebrating, but Davis only made 13 appearances in the playoffs with his struggling Pelicans. It's worth noting that in these contests, Davis never averaged less than 30 points per game.

Finally, in the midst of a 33-49 season with the Pelicans, Davis requested a trade, informing his team he would play out the rest of the season.

During the 2018-19 offseason, the Lakers parted with the No. 4 pick, core pieces like Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Josh Hart, a 2021 first-rounder, first-round swap rights in 2023, and a 2024 first-round pick with the option to defer to 2025.

Davis and LeBron James, despite intense criticism for the haul given up, quickly became an unstoppable duo in Los Angeles. After a 36-10 start, devastation was felt not just over the city, but the global basketball world as NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash.

To fans, Davis was no longer just an All-Star joining the Lakers. After this tragedy, he was now a part of the healing and coping process for L.A. The job was far from finished as the Lakers now saw clearer than before the end goal.

This was not the only tragic event to occur that season as the world was brought to a halt in Mar. 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NBA set up a way to safely continue the season that summer creating the NBA Bubble in Orlando, FL. As players were isolated from family members, loved ones, and any physical contact with the outside world, the Lakers were once again in a position to be a beacon of hope and escape from the uncertainty of the real world to basketball fans quarantining at home.

The NBA was back, the playoffs were in full swing, and the Lakers now found themselves in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, wearing their new 'Black Mamba' edition jerseys — an homage to Bryant.

In Davis' most iconic moment as a Laker, perhaps his entire NBA career, he found himself with the ball in his hands, two seconds left in the contest, and down 103-102.

As something only Bryant would in this scenario, Davis caught the inbound, confidently shot the ball, and drained the game-winning three to go up 2-0.

After the release, Davis is seen yelling "Kobe" as another homage to the legend. A.D. after the legendary performance called it "the biggest shot of my career" and a "huge dream."

The Lakers went on to win one of the most mentally challenging championships in not just basketball history but in the history of major sports.

Davis' impact on the court is second-to-none. He will continue to be dominant on the Mavericks for seasons to come.

His impact off the court with fans is invaluable. He helped make an unforgettable season in a year that brought so much devastation and heartbreak worldwide.

Anthony Davis is forever a Laker.

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